Recent clashes in Shewa Robit, a town in the North Shewa Zone of the Amhara region, have resulted in the tragic death of a four-month-old infant and left several others injured, according to local sources.
Residents reported that the conflict between government forces and Fano militia began on Thursday, 05 December, 2024, around 5:00 a.m. and continued until 4:00 p.m. that day. According to them, the clashes resulted in an unspecified number of casualties and injuries.
According to eyewitnesses who spoke with Addis Standard, Fano militia fighters clashed with government security forces when they attempted to enter the town.
Aynalem Kebede (name changed for security reasons), a resident of Shewa Robit, explained that the Fano militia initiated gunfire near the Mariam neighborhood after arriving from Rasa, a locality in Qewet Woreda.
Aynalem further recounted, “A house in the Giorgis neighborhood was struck by heavy weaponry, resulting in the death of a four-month-old infant and severe injuries to the child’s mother. We buried the infant, and the mother was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. The father also sustained minor injuries.”
She added that the attack completely destroyed the family’s home.
Additionally, Aynalem reported that in the village of Chare, west of Shewa Robit, a house was hit by heavy weapons on the same day, injuring five family members, including three children.
All commercial and transportation activities completely ceased due to the conflict,” he added.
Residents of Shewa Robit told Addis Standard that security forces had been conducting increased security checks in the days leading up to the conflict.
“Before the fighting began, the security forces conducted house-to-house searches on Tuesday,” Aynalem explained. “I’m not sure if they had prior information about the attack, but the search was intense.”
She also mentioned that frequent clashes had been observed in the area prior to the recent conflict, which had caused significant concern among the community.
“Currently, the fighting has subsided, and the town is under the control of the defense forces,” Aynalem revealed. “Since yesterday, commercial and transportation activities have resumed.”
A renewed battle between government forces and the Fano militia escalated in major cities and towns across the Amhara region after the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Amhara regional government issued a joint statement on 01 October, 2024. In the statement, they announced their intent to continue what they described as “law enforcement operations” until “peace is fully restored.”
One indication of the escalating conflict in the North Shewa Zone is the intense armed clashes that took place in the Minjar Shenkora district in early October 2024.
Residents of the Minjar Shenkora district reported heavy bombardments during this period, with numerous homes in the neighborhood being damaged by mortar fire.
Last month, Addis Standard also reported that a fierce battle in Robit and surrounding areas within the Ambassel district of the South Wollo Zone in the Amhara region resulted in casualties.
According to residents of Robit, the ongoing conflicts in the area have left residents and their families living in constant fear.